Would You Listen
by Artemisdesari
Summary: Jareth visits Sarah four times each year. They talk, learn and maybe they can correct mistakes made in the past
1. Chapter 1

_I have a sick little girl and while she sleeps on me between bouts of vomiting I have rediscovered my love affair with Labyrinth. It has been many years since I delved into the world of the Goblin King and my depiction of him might be a touch rusty._

**_Disclaimer: _**_Not mine, but I do like to play._

Would You Listen?

First Midsummer.

Sarah closed the front door behind her and leant against it with a sigh. For the first time since her run through the Labyrinth she resented the fact that her father and stepmother had asked her to babysit. She had grown since that night, had realised that she could not live in that fantasy world without sacrificing her connections to the contempory one. She had lived in that world for long enough, her trip had shown her that she was capable of making friends in unlikely places and it was time to focus on her future instead of resenting her father's choice to move forward in his life by marrying Karen. Tonight, however, she had wanted to spend time with the friends she had reconnected with. Tonight she had wanted to go to the park and enjoy herself. Instead her father and Karen had insisted on going out and she had been guilt tripped into agreeing to watch Toby.

Unlike that fateful night so many months ago her ire was not directed at her innocent little brother, who lay asleep in his crib and blissfully unaware of his sister's frustration. This time her ire was directed at her parents, the people who in one breath insisted that she have friends and spend time with them and in another denied her that freedom with their frequent dinners. She trudged to the couch and flung herself down, reaching for the remote to see if she could find anything to watch, then thinking better of it and glancing at the book shelf in the corner of the room. Most of her books were in her room but some had migrated here when she had run out of space. Perhaps a book would be a better way of unwinding.

"Hello, Sarah."

She froze as she heard the voice. She knew it, of course, it was not a voice she was likely to forget and even had she wanted to her dreams had ensured that she could not.

"You!" She did not speak his name, refused to use his title. He was here and all that was important was convincing him to go a long way away. "You can't be here!"

"Why ever not?"

"You steal babies!" Toby was not a baby anymore, not long into his toddlerhood to be sure but not a baby anymore and surely he could no longer be of interest to the Goblin King.

"I grant wishes," he countered mildly, arms folded across his chest and for the first time she noticed that he was not wearing his armour. Instead he was dressed in a similar manner to the way he had in the tunnels of the Labyrinth.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," she hissed.

"Until recently sleep has never been difficult for me," he replied mildly, apparently refusing to to rise to her baiting.

"Guilty conscience?"

"Not in the slightest," he regarded her coldly. "Why should I feel guilt about taking that which is freely given?"

"But they _aren't_!" She insisted. Technically Toby was not hers to give to anyone.

"'_I wish the goblins would take you away, right now!'_" He pitched his voice mockingly as he repeated the words. "Those _were_ your words, were they not? You were not coerced into speaking them, no one forced you to read from a script." His smile was feral, cruel, and she shivered under his gaze. "You uttered them freely and with great feeling that night. We took Toby because you wished it of us. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I didn't_ know_ it would work!" She insisted. It had been drummed into her all her life that it was all well and good to enjoy the fantasy realms but at the end of the day that is all that they were, a place of make believe and impossible magic.

"But you _wanted_ it to," he told her reasonably, "and quite often intention is all that is necessary. I was generous enough to allow you the chance to win him back, does that not count in my favour?"

"You cheated," she told him flatly, irritated by his words more than she wanted to admit because she could not deny that they were as reasonable as his tone.

"Is it cheating to use any means at my disposal to keep my prize?" The corner of his mouth tilted up, almost as though he was going to smile at her before he got his features under control again. "You were the one who failed to ask about the rules, Precious, and I could easily accuse you of the same." He must have seen the outrage on her face because he held up a hand to stall her angry words. "You bought the loyalty of several of my subjects and while it was certainly an inventive way of getting through the Labyrinth it could still be considered cheating."

"I passed the final test alone, didn't I?" She challenged, not happy to hear that he was as convinced that she had not played by the rules as she had been that he had not.

"Did you?" He arched an eyebrow at her. "I wonder if you even know what the final test was." It was like he had poured icy water down her spine, implying that she had not even been aware of the game she had been playing. Implying that she might not have won, might not be finished with it, after all.

"Resisting temptation," she told him. "Resisting _you_, that was the test."

"Was it?" He asked. "Perhaps, perhaps not." He twisted his hand and his fingers seemed to pull magic from the air.

"What is that?" She demanded even though she recognised the orb he was spinning over his fingertips.

"A crystal, nothing more, nothing less," he answered, his words a horrible echo of the ones he had spoken that night and she shuddered. "A gift this midsummer in memory of your 'victory'."

"I don't want any gifts from you," she placed her hands behind her back, her fingertips itching to reach for the softly glowing globe even as her eyes followed its path over leather clad hands.

"Pity," he tossed the crystal in the air and it shattered, raining glitter and fairy dust onto the carpet. "Perhaps next time you will be in a more open frame of mind."

"_Next_ time? There won't be a…" he was gone before she could finish her sentence and she stamped her foot in frustration, well aware of how childish it was and not able to bring herself to care. "Toby," she gasped her little brother's name and raced up the stairs, opening his bedroom door and letting light from the landing flood the room he had been moved into only a week before. In the sudden light the toddler stirred but did not wake and Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever the Goblin King's agenda had been, Toby had not been a part of it.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapters will vary in length wildly, as conversations always seem to, but I do have about nine more chapters after this already typed and ready to go. It gives me something to do between bouts of cleaning toddler vomit and watching over a sleeping little one. She's still poorly, has been for nearly a week, so I have a lot of time on my hands._

First Halloween.

Toby was young to be taken out on Halloween, not quite two and still unaware of the reason that he had been dressed as a tiny knight and taken out on a cool, dark, October night. It was, however, the only way that Sarah had been able to convince her father to give her permission to go out later on with her friends. Night was falling and Sarah, in the same dress she had worn the day she had made her poorly thought out wish, carried her little brother from door to door when he would allow it. Nearly two and steady on his feet Toby enjoyed being able to move under his own speed more than being carried or wheeled around in a buggy.

"Hello, Sarah, young Toby," her heart sunk at the sound of the Goblin King's voice and she was horrified to feel Toby's hand slip out of her grasp.

"Toby, no!" She did not shout, but she had raised her voice a little and she saw a couple of heads turn her way as other families continued to walk the street around them.

"We are old friends, Sarah," Jareth told her as he scooped her brother up in his arms.

"You can't have him," she replied already trying to think of a way to get her brother away from the king and worrying about what would happen if she could not.

"I am not here for him," there was an offended note to the king's voice. "Really, Sarah, I explained the last time I saw you that I cannot simply take that which has not been freely given. Your brother has chosen to greet me but that does _not_ mean that I am simply going to whisk him back to the Underground."

"Then why _are_ you here?" She held her hands out to her brother and was perplexed to see him shake his head and rest his head on Jareth's armoured shoulder.

"My reasons are my own, Sarah," although he was speaking to her his gaze was fixed on her brother. "Let us say that for the moment it suits me to be here."

"Well it doesn't suit me," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest and his eyes turned back to her.

"Still so petulant?" The disappointment in his voice cut at her in a way she had not expected it could. "I had thought you would have grown out of that."

"I'm not… I have…" Words failed her for a moment and she took a breath to try and calm herself but only seemed to succeed in compounding her annoyance. "People don't change overnight, Goblin King!"

"No, they don't. In that, at least, we can agree."

"So, why are you here?" She asked again, aware that simply demanding an answer was not going to get her anywhere. "Don't just tell me that it suits you to be, I don't have a reason to trust you and not answering my question isn't helping."

"When you say it so reasonably how can I refuse?" He asked but she got the impression that he was mocking her. "Very well. I am here because you intrigue me."

"You've never been beaten before?"

"Certainly I have," he laughed and she felt inexplicably foolish. "I have never been beaten in such a manner but I _have_ been beaten. You intrigue me for other reasons." Something about his expression made her wary, even as her heart fluttered in a way she had never experienced before.

"I'm sixteen," she told him, hoping that her age might give him pause.

"I am aware," his expression was one of complete unconcern. "The customs on your world have changed greatly since I last had occasion to spend any time here. _Then_ sixteen would have been a more than acceptable age to approach you." The implications of his words made her heart flutter again and she felt herself grow warm under his gaze. "Now, well, now you are more immature in those matters than I would have expected."

"Maybe I just haven't found a boy that I like enough to bother dating," she replied, willing herself to speak clearly and not be overwhelmed by the way he was looking at her. The way he seemed to regard her as a particularly fine wine or delicious morsel. He had looked at her like that in the Labyrinth, too, and she had convinced herself that he had been trying to mess with her, trying to dig into her heart and mind and distract her from her goal.

"Maybe," he agreed and placed Toby on the sidewalk next to her. "Well, Toby, I should allow your sister to continue escorting you." He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. "Good night, Sarah."


	3. Chapter 3

_My other half is looking after our daughter while I'm at work. It's been a thoroughly rotten day so far and looks to be even worse when I return from my lunch. Couple of reviews might make me feel better but writing this has been relaxing on its own._

First Midwinter.

"Why do you weep?" It was the last voice that Sarah wanted to hear at this moment.

"Goblin King!" She wiped her hands across her cheeks, desperately trying to hide evidence of her tears and knowing that he had already seen too much. "I'm not… It's nothing, really." She felt the bed dip as he sat next to her and then a white handkerchief appeared before her.

"These tears do not look like 'nothing', Precious," he said as she accepted the offered cloth and dabbed her eyes with it.

"Are you going to mock me too?" She asked as a reply, annoyed to hear her voice shake with emotion and felt her eyes well up again.

"Why would I do that?" He asked and had it been anyone else she would have thought him genuine in his confusion.

"You always _have_," she replied. "In the Labyrinth and the last two times you visited me, you always mock me."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," the gentleness in his voice made her look up at him and she was surprised at what she saw in his eyes, "my purpose is not to _mock_ you. When we met my purpose was to _test_ you and my mockery was as much a part of that as anything."

"So nothing you did was real?" She asked, eager for something to take her mind off her current problems.

"Much of it was," he kept eye contact as he spoke and she could see the sincerity there, "but I also had to be everything that _you_ expected me to be. You wanted a mocking, charming villain and so _that_ is what I became. An exaggeration of my own personality to be sure, but I am as capable of kindness as I am of cruelty even though you expected me to be utterly devoid of any gentle emotion. I am certain that in this you expect my cruelty and mocking words and on this occasion it is my delight to disappoint your expectations. So I ask again, my Sarah," he took her hand in his, "why do you weep?"

"My mother cancelled our Christmas plans," she said after a moment of hesitation, though she could not help but wonder if he would understand why she was so upset. He was a king, after all, and he would not be accustomed to dealing with disappointed hopes. "She was supposed to collect me tomorrow and now I won't see her until the New Year."

"But surely this is no great cause for grief?" She could see he was confused by her reaction and she had to wonder if it had been a mistake to tell him. "You shall see her in a couple of weeks and until then you will be with your family."

"And Karen's," she added, not bothering to keep her dislike for them from her voice.

"I am aware that your relationship with your stepmother is less than perfect," she would have wondered how he had come across that information, but he was a magical being and it was no great secret that even now Sarah did not always see eye to eye with Karen. "Am I to assume that your relationship with her parents is similar?"

"Worse," she shook her head. "They don't like me. I've heard them say that they don't think she should care for me. They think I don't hear them because they say it when Daddy is taking Merlin for a walk and they think I'm in bed but my room is right above the kitchen and they aren't exactly quiet. They think I'm spoilt and demanding," she sighed, "and the worst thing is that I'm beginning to wonder if they're right."

"Did you want to spend the holiday with your mother?" He asked instead of offering her platitudes and reassurance.

"_Yes_, but not for the same reasons I used to," he did not speak, his silence inviting her to explain. "I always told Daddy that the only reason I went was because _Karen_ obviously didn't want me here but this year I wanted to go because _I_ wanted to. I wanted them to have a nice time and it always causes trouble for them if I'm here when Mr and Mrs Lloyd are." She was crying again and she cursed her display of weakness in front of him.

"So these tears are disappointment?" He asked. He did not wrap his arm around her but nor did he release his grip on her hand and she found herself grateful for it while she dabbed at her eyes again.

"Yes," she sighed. "I know I shouldn't be, not really, Mom's done it before and I guess I should almost expect it by now but…" she looked over at him again. "I'm sorry, you didn't come here to listen to me complaining." Not that she was entirely certain of _why_ he was visiting her.

"No," he agreed, "but perhaps it is better to put voice to your thoughts rather than let the resentments fester and I am a neutral party. Have you explained this to your father?"

"I've tried," she shook her head, "but we always start fighting and Daddy doesn't really listen. I heard Karen asking him what she's supposed to do on Christmas day now that I'm going to be here too."

"She has as much right to be frustrated as you," he made it sound so reasonable but Sarah still could not stop the little burst of resentment that she felt at the mention of it. "Not for the same reasons, I'll grant you, but the right all the same."

"Yes, but does she have to make it sound like it's _my_ fault every time?" She did not keep the bitterness from her voice.

"Do you really believe that is her intent?" He asked and she felt tears well up and spill out again. "You are blameless in your mother's actions and I am certain that your stepmother knows it. Do not weep, Sarah. Your eyes, so cruel and clear, were not made for tears, Precious. I am certain that all will work out as it should."

"Thank you, Goblin King." Even though he had done little more than let her vent her feelings and offered her some small comforts his words left Sarah feeling far better than she would have done had she taken this to any of her friends. Her peers were incapable of being impartial and they lacked the years of experience that Jareth had.

"I have a name," he told her gently, waving off her thanks.

"Jareth," she let his name slide past her lips and his answering smile was blinding. "Really, thank you. You've been far kinder than I deserve. Why did you come here?"

"I bought you a gift, a crystal," there was something almost shy about the way that he said it, as though he was not certain that she would accept it from him.

"Will it show me my dreams?" She asked him, not mocking his previous offer but genuinely curious.

"No," she could hear the sorrow in his voice, "that gift is no longer mine to give you. Take it."

She lifted it off his fingertips, terrified that the slightest pressure would cause it to crack in her hand. Curious she gazed into it and as she did so it burst and in her hands was a dress in deep emerald. She stood, holding it against her so that she could see the length of it.

"It's beautiful, Jareth," she whispered. It was fine knit dress, flared from the waist down with a modest sweetheart neckline.

"Wear it on Christmas day," the Goblin King also got to his feet, tilting her face up with one gloved finger, "with pride and a smile. Be the perfect hostess I know you can be, show Karen's parents how wrong they are about you and make them regret every bad word." She beamed at him.

"I never took you for the sort to offer a shoulder to cry on," she whispered.

"I cannot abide the sight of a lady's tears," he told her, stroking her cheek softly and she felt her heart speed up. "I have been the cause often enough and have just as often been forbidden from offering comfort where it should be given. I will always give what aid I can when I am able."

"The dashing and kind king?" She asked, trying desperately to get her racing heart under control as she felt her cheeks flush. "You don't actually expect me to believe you're really _that_ gallant do you?"

"Of course not," he was so close now that their bodies were almost touching. "As I told you, your expectations of me were merely the slightest exaggeration of my personality. I am cruel but I can be generous when it suits me and this evening it suited me."

"So this was all manipulation?"

"No, Precious, I have nothing to gain by manipulating you," his voice was low and he was close, so very close, enough that she could feel the gentle puffs of his breath against her face. Then his lips were against hers, a gentle barely there caress. "Until next time."


	4. Chapter 4

_Very short, so I'll probably have another one up a little bit later. That annoying day ahead where I'm waiting for a delivery (between 8am and 9pm and who's betting that it'll get here at 9pm?). It has not been a good weekend for me. Saturday was hell and Sunday didn't get much better (among other things I managed to smash at work my kindle was one of them) the interactions of Sarah and Jareth will probably reflect this._

First Beltane.

Sarah set the dryer on her vanity and began to run her brush through her hair. It had been a miserable April day and she had been soaked to the skin on her way home from school. A hot, relaxing bath later and Sarah was in her room pampering herself, something she did not do nearly enough these days.

"Hoggle!" She caught sight of her friend as she glanced in her mirror, then turned to talk to the dwarf perched on her bed. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"You were expecting someone else?" He demanded, as abrasive as ever. As always Sarah did not take it to heart.

"Well, no," she smiled at him, "but I thought I had to _call_ you. It doesn't mean I'm not pleased to see you," she noticed his scowl. "What's wrong?"

"That rat Jareth asked me to give something to you," Hoggle groused and Sarah found herself smiling. It had always amused her that Hoggle displayed such a vicious dislike of his king when they were together but as soon as Jareth appeared the dwarf was obviously too terrified to stand up for himself. "Why are you even talking to him?"

"I don't know," she confessed going back to drawing her brush through her hair in an effort to hide her own confusion. "He just stops by sometimes and he's actually managing to be _nice_."

"He ain't being nice, Sarah" Hoggle shook his head, "he doesn't know _how_ to be. He's up to something and I don't like being involved."

"You're not involved," she assured him.

"Oh, but I am," Hoggle insisted. "That rat gave me a letter to give to you and told me he'd tip me head first into the Bog if I didn't!"

"He's said that before," Sarah replied, even though she was aware that the only reason Hoggle had not wound up in the bog was because she had been present.

"But he's never told me that he would do it himself." That gave Sarah pause. Jareth would be more likely to use a crystal to send Hoggle to the bog rather than use his own hands.

"Where is it?" She asked, setting her brush down.

"Where is what?" Hoggle groused and she wondered if it was just habit to answer an obscure question with another of his own.

"The letter, Hoggle," she elaborated with as much patience as she could muster. "Where is the letter Jareth told you to give me? Hand it over."

"You remember the last thing he told me to give you?" Hoggle demanded and she nodded, unable to forget the enchanted peach or the beautiful, if intimidating, dream it had given her.

"He has no reason to hurt me now," she assured her friend, displaying a confidence in the Goblin King that she did not necessarily feel.

"Revenge. You did beat him."

"Alright, yes I did," Sarah acknowledged, "and if I had to I would beat him again. I know you don't like it, Hoggle, but you'll like being bogged even less. Just give me the letter and you can go back to your garden, ok?"

"Fine," he slammed the letter onto the vanity, "but don't say I didn't warn you."

"You always do and I never have," she assured him, kissing his cheek gently. Hoggle huffed and with a pop he vanished, obviously not willing to stay nearby while Sarah read her letter.

**_My Dearest Sarah,_**

**_My humble and most sincere apologies that I cannot visit you this Beltane night. Rest assured that I would much prefer to spend these hours in your company on this day when the veil between our worlds is so thin. Matters of state keep me away this time and I can only hope that it shall not repeat itself in the future. It is unavoidable, however, and I shall explain on another occasion when I can answer any questions you might have._**

**_I remain_**

**_Jareth_**

**_Your Goblin King._**


	5. Chapter 5

_And the second chapter of the day. Still no sign of the delivery. _

Second Midsummer.

"Hello, Precious, did you miss me?" Sarah looked up from her book and arched her eyebrows at him.

"You _wish_, Goblin King," she smiled, setting aside the book she had to read for school. It was dull, incredibly so, and any interaction with the Fae in front of her was bound to be that much more interesting.

"I am certain," he told her with a confident smirk.

"Oh really? What makes you so sure?"

"You wrote back," he had leant against her bedroom wall, his arms crossed over his chest and he exuded utter confidence.

"Of course I did," she reached for the book again, now wondering if baiting him was such a good idea given their last physical encounter, "it was the polite thing to do."

"Ah, yes," His eyes were hooded as he watched her, "the niceties."

"Why do you keep coming back?" She asked softly, her book clutched in her hands though she was not sure if it was as a comfort to her or as something to throw at him.

"Because I can," he told her.

"That's not a reason."

"We've had this discussion before, Sarah, and I grow tired of it," he pushed away from the wall and drew himself up. Sarah wondered if it was meant to be intimidating but in little more than a light shirt and very tight trousers she found it difficult to be intimidated in the light of the sunset.

"So give me an answer I can understand," she deliberately kept her tone as light as reasonable as possible, not wanting to provoke him and highly aware of the fact that her family were in the house.

"I told you," he sighed, "I find you intriguing."

"Do you visit everyone who beats you?" She asked, wondering if maybe she could persuade him to tell her about the others who had won children back.

"Rare as it is," he turned his gaze fully upon her, "no. They beat me because they asked the right questions of the right inhabitants of the Labyrinth. They were not defiant and they did not challenge me. Not the way _you_ did, not the way you do."

"So you keep coming here because I'm different?" She asked and really the thought was kind of flattering. It was not exactly what she had wanted to ask, however, but if he was not going to mention it then she would not.

"In a manner of speaking." There was something in his eyes again, something that she had seen so many times in the past and yet she was still unwilling to name it, unwilling to face it.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" She offered instead.

"'Enemies', Sarah?" He raised his eyebrow at her. "I realise we are not 'friends' but I would hope you would no longer view me as your enemy. Our differences _have_ been settled."

"Have they?" She asked, unable to shake the feeling that in some way and on some level he was manipulating her. "I still don't really buy your reasons for taking Toby."

"What is not to understand?" He demanded, finally losing his temper with her repeated questions and coming close enough to tower over her. "I took him because you said the right words, in the right order and at the right moment. You had enough belief and desire for it to happen to attract the attention of my subjects and they were only too happy to make that wish come true. As was I. It is not a difficult concept, Sarah. You failed to consider the consequences of your words and it allowed me to take your brother."

"So you won't ever try to take him again?" This time the question was soft, unsure, his irritation making her more nervous than any of her past conversations had.

"No," as quickly as it had come his anger seemed to have faded. "Unless he wishes himself to us, or you foolishly speak the words again, I have no further claim on him." He took a step back from her. "As fond as I became of him his place is not in my world any longer."

For the first time Sarah could honestly say that she believed every word. Instead she nodded and patted the bed beside her, inviting him to sit with her. With a smile he accepted the invitation.


	6. Chapter 6

_Another couple of shorter chapters today. Typed up while I wait for my little one to decide if she wants sleep or not, later chapters will get longer I promise._  
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Second Halloween

"I am surprised to find you _here._" Sarah squeaked at the sound of the Goblin King's voice and pulled her robe tighter about her, aware that she was wearing her old flannel pyjamas. "I had expected to find you out with young Toby." In the past his interest in her brother would have raised her hackles but after their last conversation she simply found it to be a sign of his affection for the child.

"He's not well," she replied softly, Karen was only across the hall with Toby and it would not do for them to be heard. "He puked down both of us, Karen has him in the bath and I decided to take the opportunity to study." Truth be told she was relieved that she did not have to go out tonight, having overheard some of the older boys at her school talking about crashing the younger kids hour.

"How dull," she looked over at him and saw him lounging on her bed examining the tips of his fingers, for the first time without gloves, and she was surprised by how delicate his hand appeared.

"Yes," she agreed because it really was, "but if I want to go to college and have any kind of a future I have to study." She said it in that sing song tone that people take when they are repeating something that they have heard over and over again but that did not make it any less valid a point.

"What _is_ it that young ladies do for their future here?" He asked her, reminding her that his world was very different to this one. "I imagine that a world that could create such a firebrand as yourself and has stifled all hints of magic must have very different expectations."

"I suppose it must," she agreed, not willing to admit that she had no idea what women in the Underground did for employment or even if they _were_ employed. "I always thought I wanted to act, you know, be on the stage like my mom," he arched an eyebrow at her. "The more I think about it, though, the more stupid it seems. There is no guarantee that I would make it in that world and if I failed what would I have to fall back on?" That, at least seemed to have his approval. "I think that Daddy would like me to be a lawyer like him and Karen was a secretary before she became a housewife. Neither really appeals to be honest."

"Politics, perhaps," he suggested even though the politics of the above most be different to the wrangling between kings. "Your flair for the dramatic would enable you to make some truly impassioned speeches."

"Bores me to tears," she shook her head, she had glanced at a few political text books in passing and had found herself nearly asleep after a few pages. "I could write, I guess, or try and work for some publishing company or another. I don't really have to decide for another year or so yet."

"And if you do not decide?" He put voice to the thought that had been plaguing her for months.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I always wanted to be an actress, I never really considered the other options. It's making it very hard."

"I am certain something will present itself," he told her confidently, almost as though he knew something she did not.

"If all else fails I guess I could join the army," she joked.

"Certainly not," the words came out far more harshly that she suspected he had intended them to. "You are _far _too precious for such employment."

That, at least, softened the blow his angry words had dealt.


	7. Chapter 7

_And the second one. Check out the minimum amount of angst that I've contributed so far. It's coming, though, my history speaks for itself and I don't think I'll ever move away from it._

Second Midwinter.

This time she saw him before he had a chance to speak, altering her path around him as she moved from closet to bed where a suit case lay open. She did not miss the surprise on his face, then, when he saw her and she suspected that he had not intended stop and talk to her.

"I had assumed you would have already departed," he said.

"Disappointed?" She dodged around him again with a grin. "I've only got a few more things to pack and then Daddy will be driving me to the station."

"Your mother will not be collecting you?" He seemed almost alarmed at the idea that she would be travelling alone.

"No, Mom is going to meet me in New York," she gestured to the pile of books still waiting to be packed. "Don't worry, I'll be fine and I've got plenty of… put that _down_, Jareth!" She snatched the notebook he had picked up out of his hands.

"I see you have begun a tale of your own," he smirked at her. He had seen enough of her words to recognise a variation on their story and the little book that had started everything.

"I can't believe you saw that," she groaned, embarrassment clear in her voice. "I just thought I should get some practice in."

"I see," he nodded. "Certainly one can never have too much practice at _anything_," he leered.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Her cheeks were still flushed but although she was protesting ignorance she had a horrible feeling she knew what he was referring to.

"I think you understand more than you like people to think," he replied and she was not surprised that he had not bought her show of innocence. "I could teach you so much, Sarah," he whispered, moving close to her once more and she was reminded abruptly of the year before when they had both stood in this same position. This time, however, it was not a flimsy dress between them and Sarah was not grateful for the King's understanding or still upset by her mother's thoughtlessness. This time she was able to take a step back.

"Sarah!" Her father's voice floated into the room. "Are you ready?" His question broke the spell she was half under and she stepped around Jareth to shove the last few items into her bag.

"Nearly, Daddy," she called back, glancing at her chest of drawers and feeling the heat rise in her cheeks again as she remembered what else she had to pack. "I just have a couple more things to pack."

"You've got five minutes or you'll miss your train," came the reply and she turned pleading eyes on the Goblin King.

"Please, Jareth," she breathed, startled to find him so close behind her once again, "I have to go."

"I am aware, Precious," he told her and just as he had the previous year he drew her in for a kiss. This one was not an innocent brush of lips as the last one had been, but nor was it the kind of deep and sensual kiss her friends liked to talk about one day receiving. It was a soft hint of things to come and she stumbled when he disappeared from in front of her.

Her eyes opened slowly, though she could not remember closing them, and she grabbed most of the contents of her underwear drawer when she heard her father once again call her name. At least, she mused as she slammed the case shut, Jareth had left before he had seen the contents.


	8. Chapter 8

_I told you the angst was coming._

Second Beltane.

"How was your date?" Sarah had not even flicked the light on in her room when she heard Jareth's voice. She shut the door sharply behind her, turning on the light and glaring at the Goblin King as she leant against the solid wood.

"How did you know I was on a date?" She demanded, not wanting to tell him the truth about her night.

"Your hair," he replied, "your make up and your clothes." Not to mention the fact that she had not been home when he had arrived to see her and when he had found her she had been with a boy her own age. "_That_ is how they refer to courting these days, is it not? Dating?"

"Yes, of course it is," her voice had become slightly snippy, then she glanced over at him curiously. "You can really tell that I was on a date just by my appearance?"

"It pays to be observant, Sarah," he told her, his voice cold even though he was lounging on her bed as though he owned it.

"I guess," her answer was noncommittal. After the night she had just had she was almost spoiling for a fight but she did not want to vent her frustration with Daniel on someone who did not really deserve it.

"Tell me," he had sat up now and she had a feeling she was not going to like what he asked next, "did you let him kiss you?"

"That's none of your business!" She snapped.

"You did, didn't you," he hissed and she could see the anger in his eyes. "You let him kiss you. Was it everything you dreamed it would be?" He demanded mockingly. "Did it make your heart flutter and your knees weak? Did birds sing and music play?"

"It was just a _kiss_, Goblin King!" She remembered to lower her voice at the last second. "I wasn't expecting the earth to move." Not like it had seemed to when he had kissed her a few months ago. "It's not like I'm in love with him."

"You don't love him?" There was something else in his eyes now, something possessive and cruel and it made Sarah's hackles rise. "To give your kisses to a mere _boy_, a child you don't love. What else would you give him, when your loveless kisses are no longer enough? Would you give him more? Or will you simply break his heart?"

"Stop it!" She cried, refusing to be intimidated by him even though all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and hide from his anger. "Why are you _being_ like this? It was just a _date_, it was just a _kiss_!" Her fear of him and her disappointment in the evening combined to make her anger flare white behind her eyes and all intention of not taking her frustration out on him went out of the window. "I'm just doing what girls my age _do_. You think you can dictate who I date just because you stole a kiss at midwinter and then _vanished_ without a word? Are you _jealous_?" His eyes flashed and in a moment she was sure she had hit the nail on the head. "I'm seventeen and you're… I don't even know _how_ old you are. You shouldn't even be _thinking_ about kissing me, let alone _doing _it." No matter how much it had made her heart race, no matter how much she had enjoyed it.

"You have made your point perfectly clear, Sarah."

She did not know when he had gotten to his feet, lost in her angry tirade as she had been, but he was close to her, glaring down at her as though he could intimidate her into silence. She could not allow that. She was not finished, had too much to say that needed to be said even though this was not really what she was angry about. She was not angry that Jareth was jealous or wanted to have her to himself, it was flattering really, she was angry that he was highhandedly telling her what she already knew but could not find the words to tell Daniel.

"No," she replied, "I really don't think I have. You keep on turning up here and I'm not closer to really understanding _why_ than I was the first time. You tell me that it's because I'm intriguing and a challenge but is that really it?"

"What other reason could there _possibly_ be?" He hissed in response, odd eyes darkening as he moved closer to her. With her back to the door there was nowhere for Sarah to go.

"I wish I knew," she replied, "because your reason being that I'm a challenge certainly doesn't give you the right to judge who I can and cannot date! And it _definitely_ doesn't give you the right to tell me who I can _kiss_! If _I_ decide I want to kiss Daniel, I'll do it and you can _bet_ that if I decide I want to take things further with him I _will_!" Not that it mattered particularly since after their date, not to mention the rather lacklustre kiss, she was not sure if she _wanted_ to go out with him again. "_You_ don't get to decide that for me, Goblin King, now or _ever_!"

"The boys of this world will _break_ your heart!" His voice was a low, angry hiss. "They will crush your spirit and destroy your dreams. I am simply attempting to spare you that pain."

"It isn't your decision to make, Jareth," her voice was no less angry, but still it was filled with the sound of approaching tears. "It never will be. Why can't you just leave me alone? Why are you trying to ruin a good night? I've met a boy that I like, I actually went out with him and I had a good time," her clenched fists hid her crossed fingers at her deliberate lie. "Why _ruin_ that? Why bug me like you do? I _won_ so why won't you just leave me _alone_?"

He took a step back and the angry passion left his face to be replaced by a cold mask of painful indifference.

"Is that what you want, Sarah?" Even his voice was colder than she had ever heard it and she shivered. "Do you want me to leave and never return here?"

"Yes, alright?" She replied, her determination faltering for only a moment in the face of his withdrawal in the face of her rejection. "Right now I don't want anything to _do_ with you!" Especially since he had insisted on reminding her of her own poor night. "Leave me alone! Get out of my life!"

"As. You. Wish." He hissed as was gone.

Regret flooded her in an instant and for a second she wanted to call him back. She did not, aware that if she did he would not come.


	9. Chapter 9

_Oops, double posted the last chapter by mistake. Thanks to Skyrere and a Guest for pointing it out, brain death has apparently occured. Life is back to normal and this leaves little time for writing, especially since there has been a lot of sickness to cover at work. Enjoy._

Third Midsummer.

"Will you go to her?" Jareth looked over at the owner of the voice, a glass of brandy in his gloved hand. He lounged in a large arm chair in front of the fire in his study, his feet stretched in front of him and his free hand covering his mouth as he stared at the flames.

"She explicitly told me _not_ to contact her," he replied, turning back to his contemplation of the blaze.

"You are being foolish, Brother," the woman replied as she sat in the chair opposite the Goblin King. She, too, had wild blonde hair and eyes of two differing hues. Tall and slender in the way of all Fae, she wore a gown of brilliant blue edged with gold.

"Am I?" His tone was petulant but he did not reprimand her for the tone she took with him.

"If you would only approach her and explain your position," she insisted. "I am certain she would forgive you if she understood."

"Your innocence in matters such as these is astounding," he muttered, taking another mouthful of brandy and contemplating how much was left in the bottle and whether the hangover would be worth it the next day.

"You have said yourself that Sarah frequently says things she does not mean," she pointed out, remembering their discussions after her brother had visited the mortal girl. "Could this not be one of those occasions as well?"

"That is not for me to decide, Aryll," he sighed, removing the decanter from the table beside him and refilling his glass. He deliberately avoided his sister's disapproving glare. "If she wishes to see me she would call for me."

"And if she does not call?" Aryll smoothed her skirts. "Brother, you are _both_ stubborn," she pointed out, "and I know you would never admit to making a mistake but maybe you did this time. _You_ told me that she needed the time to grow and mature, perhaps she also needs this chance to explore her sexuality as well."

"She could as effectively explore it with _me_ as she could with that _boy_," he growled. "Perhaps _more_ effectively."

"Jealousy does not become you," she informed him tartly, "I've told you that before. The rules of the challenge prevented you from telling her the truth of your heart once before. Will you allow your pride to be the reason you are denied that chance again?"

"As long as she is courting that boy she will have no desire to see me whether I apologise or not," the sorrow in his voice was clear.

"You only have _four_ opportunities to see her a year of your own free will," she insisted. "You'll never win her if you refuse to see her!"

"Have you considered, Aryll," he replied after a long moment, "that there is the possibility that Sarah is not a prize for _me_ to win?"

"_You_ are being foolish," Aryll countered, "I have never seen you so captivated." He snorted and reached for the brandy once more. "Don't brush me off, Brother, I've seen you with women, Fae and mortal, and you've _never_ been like this."

"Yes, Sister," he sighed, "but attraction has to go _both_ ways for anything to come of it."

"I maintain that you're being utterly ridiculous," she replied after a moment of silence. "She spoke in a moment of anger and can you blame her? You are a king and accustomed to getting your own way. By my understanding and observations of her world on my visits, _she_ would not be accustomed to simply deferring to your commands or those of any other authority figure without good reason."

"I _have_ good reason!" He snapped.

"Does she know that?" Aryll was nonplussed by his apparent anger.

"No," as quickly as it had come his fury seemed to pass and he sagged further back into his seat. "I judged it… unwise to make her feel like she had no choice in her future."

"Is that not what she would have felt from you telling her she could not court this boy?" Aryll asked reasonably. "She has chosen a young man and you tell her that she should not court him, as a father or jilted lover would, but with no true reason."

"I despise when you are the voice of logic and reason," he groused.

"Only because you hate to be wrong."

"I do not find this amusing," Jareth grumbled over her answering laugh.

"No," she agreed, "_you_ would not."

"Majesty!" A deep voice rumbled through the room from the door. It had a deceptive depth considering it belonged to one of the many tiny goblins which inhabited the city around the castle. "Majesty!"

"I told you I was not to be disturbed," he aimed a boot at the small creature and was disconcerted when his kick failed to make contact.

"But the girl gives us this," a clawed hand waved a letter above a bulbous head capped with wisps of greying fur. "She told us to give it to King." In the corridor Jareth could hear other voices agreeing with their chosen spokesman.

"I want _nothing_ from her," he hissed and saw his sister roll her eyes.

"Give it to me," the other occupant of the room held out her hand. After a moment of hesitation and another narrowly missed kick, the goblin handed the letter over. "Leave us," she ordered and was gratified to see it obeyed immediately. The siblings sat in silence, one nursing his brandy and hurt pride while the other read in silence.

"You should read this," she said after some time.

"I'm not going to ready anything from _her_," he replied tersely and it seemed to be the final push.

"For once in your life would you _stow_ your _pride_?" She demanded, getting to her feet and slapping the letter onto the table next to him. "_Read_ it. Perhaps if you are lucky, and quick enough, you might have the opportunity of seeing her today after all."

She marched from the room, her dress billowing behind her and her heels clicking on the stone. He listened to her departure and stared at the flames. His eyes turned upon the letter and for a moment, a long moment, he contemplated simply burning it. A line caught his eye, however, and it was all it took for his desire to change from burning it to reading it.

**_Jareth,_**

**_You haven't come to see me today (I figured it out, go me) and I guess that's my own stupid fault. I shouldn't have said what I did and I knew it as soon as you vanished. I was tired and already disappointed with my evening. I didn't want to take it out on you but you said everything that I had been telling myself since Daniel had dropped me home. It pushed all the wrong buttons and I lost my temper._**

**_I'm pretty sure you know that I carried on seeing him anyway. I've seen your goblins watching me out of the corner of my eye so I'm pretty sure you know what Daniel and I were planning on doing tonight._**

**_I didn't go through with it. Not for any noble reason at all, but I know so many girls who have taken that step with the wrong boy and regretted it. I was being selfish and I didn't want that for myself. I only kept seeing Daniel because I was trying to prove you wrong, trying to get back at you. Looks like I proved you right after all. _**

**_I'm sorry, I know I need to learn to think before I speak, it's gotten me in trouble so often. You were right, though, I shouldn't have committed to him when I didn't love him and didn't have any hope that I ever could but my feelings were no less important. My opinion was no less important. We are friends, Jareth, or we could be, but I'm not one of your subjects and I don't belong to you. My mistakes are my own, not yours, and I can't learn from them if you don't let me make them._**

**_I hope this gets to you in time._**

**_Sarah_**

He got to his feet, swaying slightly, and reached for the barrier between the worlds. He was dismayed to realise that the time had already passed. It was too late to go to her.


	10. Chapter 10

_Urgh, flu has been making it's way around my house. This wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't had to care for sick hubby and sick baby while sick myself. It's amazing the things you realise you're capable of when you become a mother. Christmas season is fast approaching so don't be surprised if you don't see an update for a while. I've decided to use up my huge stock of beads to make presents this year and it's time consuming. _

Third Halloween

_Keep running, hide, get away._ Sarah thought to herself, legs pounding as she darted across the grass and her breath coming in terrified gasps. It had all started out so well, she had been invited to the biggest party of the school year so far and she had been having a great time. _Stupid,_ she berated herself.

Daniel had not been happy when she had broken things off over the summer, obviously hopeful that she would allow him the liberties she had never allowed any other boy. She had given him little cause to doubt that she would but the approach of Midsummer had reminded her vividly of her argument with Jareth and she had to be honest with herself about her reasons for continuing with such a doomed relationship. She had ended it, there and then, and though she had felt remorse for stringing him along in her efforts to prove Jareth wrong she did not feel any real loss. There was no childish infatuation on her part, although she suspected that _he_ had been slightly more committed to the relationship. At least, committed enough to get her into bed it would seem.

She reached the trees and darted through them until she found the one she was looking for, a large oak with a hollow at the base. It was with dismay that she noted that she was no longer able to fit inside as she had been able to four years ago.

"Jareth, help me, _please_," she whispered as she got to her feet. She could hear the rapid movements of the boys who were following her, their clumsy stumbles in the unfamiliar trees. The park was not a place that her peers spent much time in these days and she had used it to enjoy the solitude she still seemed to need. She had hoped that it would provide her with a good hiding place but that hope now seemed to be in vain.

Hearing the footsteps coming closer she got to her feet and began to navigate her way through the dark. All the while she continued her mental tirade against herself and the boys who were following her. She screamed when she collided with a warm body.

"Sarah!" He grabbed her arms as she began to struggle against him. "Sarah, it is me! I am here. What is the matter? Why are you running?" His voice, so warm and familiar, filtered through the fear that had been driving her and she stopped fighting long enough to register who it was that had appeared before her. She collapsed into his arms, shuddering as she regained her breath and calmed herself. "What have you become mixed up in now?" He asked softly, summoning a crystal of light to hover over his shoulder so that he could see her.

Her makeup was streaked down her face, her eyes red and a little wild. Her hair, once neat, had escaped its intricate style, pins hanging useless from tangled strands. Yet to his eyes she was beautiful and protectiveness surged through him at the thought that someone in this world had caused her to feel this fear.

"Boys from school," she half whispered, not daring to say Daniel's name but aware that Jareth would make the connection soon enough given sufficient detail. "I was at a party and, well…"

"I assume they were pressing for more than you were willing to give?" He asked and she was surprised by his insight given her hesitance.

"Yes, they spiked my drink or at least I think they did. The goblins told me that it had 'bad juice' in it." She had never been more grateful for Jareth's goblin spies in her life and even though she had been prepared to ask him to release them from their task she now wondered what might have happened to her had they not been present. "I abandoned the drink without even taking a sip and decided to sneak out and go home. I wasn't as sneaky as I thought."

"They followed you," he concluded and she nodded. "So you ran and called for my help."

"I couldn't think of anyone else to ask," she replied. No one else would believe her in any case, it would simply be the word of a daydreamer against one of the best athletes in the school.

"I will deal with these _boys_ and escort you home," he tilted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. She saw the seriousness in them, but she also saw that spark she had seen in them so many times. It was something that she did not dare name, did not dare to hope for, and was certain she was not ready for yet. "We have much to discuss, Sarah, and little time."

"I know." He released her and she reached for him to prevent his immediate departure. "Just don't hurt them too badly."

He did not answer with anything more than a feral smile, his eyes glinting with a cruelty that she had only seen once before and it still scared her now as it had then. He was gone and she sat among the fallen leaves with her arms wrapped around her, shivering. She had forgotten her coat in her desperation to leave the party.

"It is done," his voice startled her and she squeaked in surprise.

"What did you do to them?" She asked, watching him removed his cloak and feeling the warmth of it settling around her shoulders with gratitude.

"They will return from the Labyrinth suitable chastised in an hour or so."

"Thank you," she breathed although she could see that he was less than pleased with the punishment he had enacted.

"Do not thank me," he told her, placing a hand at the small of her back so that he could lead her out of the trees, towards the open park and home. "By rights I should have killed them."

"Dead people can't learn," she told him, "and it would have caused me more trouble in the long run." They had to have been seen following her out by someone, if they were found dead with her alive and well the finger of suspicion would be pointed at her.

"They may cause you more trouble yet," he grumbled but fell silent.

"I'm glad you came," she said after a moment of tense silence. "I'm sorry about everything I said in April."

"As am I," he replied, his expression now softer. "You were correct in your letter to me, it was not my place to try and dictate who you are courting."

"It wasn't," she agreed, "but I still shouldn't have taken my bad date out on you. I definitely shouldn't have kept seeing him just to try and prove you wrong."

"So he _was_ one of your would be assailants," there was a very large amount of glee in his voice and Sarah spared him a mildly disapproving look.

"Unfortunately," she sighed. "It seems that my taste in men really isn't all that good."

"As my sister reminded me," she could hear his discomfort, "you are young and you need the chance to explore who you are and who, or what, you might like."

"Yes," she wanted to ask about his sister but decided that this was not the time. "Well, this misadventure might well have put me off men for life."

"I sincerely hope not, Precious," he smiled at her briefly but all too quickly his expression turned serious as he realised that they had reached her front door. "I would gladly stay, there is still much that we must discuss and even more that I need to explain to you, but time here grows short for me and I have the punishment of those two cretins to oversee."

"I understand," she sighed. "Will you come at Midwinter?"

"Of course."


	11. Chapter 11

_I have many excuses, which I will not list here as the time is not quite right. Needless to say, however, the reasons will all become clear in the new year._

Third Midwinter.

"Hello, Precious." Sarah looked up from her book at the sound of his voice, he sounded exhausted.

"You're here!" She exclaimed happily, setting the book aside and moving so that he could sit next to her on the bed. "I'd begun to expect Hoggle with another letter," she told him. The hour was late and in truth she had been almost ready to lie down for the night. The room was illuminated only by the soft glow of her bedside lamp and she had already clambered under the blankets against the winter chill of her room.

"It was a near thing," he sat next to her, the bed barely dipping under his weight and she noticed how much more pale he was than the last time she had seen him, and he had been pale to begin with. "There are many responsibilities that come with being king, Sarah, and they often take priority over even _my_ personal preferences."

"But surely kings can do whatever they want," she challenged, curious.

"Of course," he replied, lifting his still booted feet onto the bed and leaning next to her. His rich scent filled her nostrils and she had to resist the urge to inhale it as deeply as she was able. "But the _good_ kings will always endeavour to do the best for their kingdom instead of what is preferable to themselves. I take my responsibilities _very_ seriously."

"Does that include everything?" She asked, glancing at his hands and noting that they were, as always, clothed in black leather.

"I do not understand," he replied, looking at her intently.

"I mean, will you marry in the interest of the kingdom?" She elaborated. It was a question which had been plaguing her since the last time she had seen him, a time when she had not been able to stop thinking about the way that he had come when she had asked and helped her when she had so desperately needed it. "Or will you marry where your heart wants you to?"

"_That_, Sarah, is a _very_ personal question," he answered and watched her blush under his scrutiny.

"I'm sorry, that was rude," Sarah apologised. "I was just curious and what better way to learn about a king than from one? It's none of my business and you're probably already married anyway."

"I am not," his voice was soft and his eyes did not leave her face even though her embarrassment caused her to keep her gaze diverted. "One day I hope to be but by my people's standards I am young yet. I have high hopes that when I _do_ marry the interests of my heart and my kingdom will align. You seem troubled by that, Sarah." She was frowning up at him but there was also something very disappointed in her eyes.

"I just can't help but wonder what will happen if they don't" was her response and internally he smiled. For her to be so interested had to mean that she felt _some_ attraction towards him, no matter how small. He could work with that.

"My kingdom will come first," he told her, "as it always should."

"That's depressing."

"Yet necessary," he kept all emotion from his voice, not wanting to reveal just how deeply the thought affected him in even _her_ presence. Still, he felt her draw away from him and he knew that he had to explain further. "Do not mistake my acceptance for cold heartedness, Precious. I assure you that should I ever have to make that choice between my heart and my throne it would likely drive me to my knees. I truly _do_ hope it never comes to that."

"So you're a good king?" She asked and he had to wonder how she had reached that conclusion from his confession that he could not afford to marry for love alone.

"I try to be," he chuckled. "Not all of my subjects make that goal an easy one and occasionally my frustrations get the better of me; as they do all of us."

"It seems so foreign for one person to make all the decisions that decide the future of an entire country."

"And nor do I," he drew a crystal out of the air, running it along his fingers to help him gather his thoughts so that he could explain his role to her more clearly. "There would not be enough hours in any day for me to make _all_ the decisions, which is why I have a multitude of advisors and counsellors who assist me in that capacity. It is only in the most difficult of decisions that my word is final. In the day to day running of the kingdom it is best to let a man who has an amount of expertise in an area deal with it. I have a great deal to do, but I certainly do not do it alone."

"It must be difficult to have all that responsibility, though," she seemed mesmerised by the crystal. "My mistakes would only affect a handful of people at most but yours…"

"Could start a war," he finished. "Truthfully it is exhausting and my position as the Guardian of the Wished Away is more precarious than most. My throne is a desirable one, in spite of the complexities it comes with and I have many enemies."

"Doesn't that scare you?"

"No," he took his eyes off the crystal to look at her. "It makes me wary of the intentions of others, I will admit, but no life can be lived in constant fear."

"Sounds lonely," she was gazing into his eyes now, understanding and sorrow brimming within them and he nodded.

"It is," he sighed. "Of all the people around me the only one I can _truly_ trust is my sister." He paused. "And, perhaps, you."

"_Me_?" It seemed to surprise her.

"Yes, Sarah, you. I doubt you would ever intentionally betray me."

"Of course I wouldn't!" She insisted. "I'm your _friend_!" He hid his wince at her choice of words and misinterpretation of his explanations, again. Silently he realised that he was going to have to find a way of being clearer with her in the future.

"As I said," he reiterated, "never _intentionally_. Your trusting nature and ignorance of the politics of my world would work against us, however."

"Well, _excuse_ me!" She flared.

"The fault is _mine_, Precious," he soothed, "not yours. I was by no means criticising you."

"Then why bring it up at all?" She demanded.

"Let us just say that my visits here have not gone unnoticed," truthfully he was surprised that it had not been brought up before now, "and not everyone who _has_ taken note of it is my friend."

"You make it sound so ominous," she whispered. "Jareth, am I in danger?"

"No." The crystal was still in his hands now and he touched her cheek, using a finger to ensure that she did not look away and break eye contact. "I intend to keep it that way." The weightless crystal was replaced, rather abruptly, with the weight of several books, their bindings old and their pages yellowed. "I had hope to persuade you to read these."

"Homework?" She asked after glancing at them.

"Preparation," he countered. "The right knowledge will do much to protect you from the wrong attention. I know it is a great deal to ask of you, but the thought that you might be hurt because I have chosen to visit with you troubles me greatly." He had dropped his mask by now, knowing that she needed to see the truth of his words.

"You _will_ keep coming, won't you?" She asked softly, taking the books from him. "I _like_ talking to you."

"To stop now would be quite impossible," he assured her, "and highly inadvisable. Once again my time here is limited." He said ruefully. "In fact I _must_ leave in the next few minutes or I will be trapped here." Yet it seemed to get harder to leave each time.

"Would that be so bad?" She asked him, sounding a little breathless. Her eyes had not left his and they were sparkling in the lamp light.

"It would be a disaster, Precious," he replied. "Promise me that you will read the books."

"I promise."

The words had barely left her lips when he felt the Labyrinth wrench him away from her side and back to the safety of his kingdom. No matter what he had told her, the strange being at the heart of the massive structure would never allow him to lose track of time and become trapped in the Above.


End file.
